Here is Question No. 28 a part of our series on UPSC Prelims 2022.
Q28. With reference to India, consider the following statements:
- Monazite is a source of rare earths.
- Monazite contains thorium.
- Monazite occurs naturally in the entire Indian coastal sands in India.
- In India, Government bodies only can process or export monazite.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
a) 1, 2 and 3 only
b) 1, 2 and 4 only
c) 3 and 4 only
d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer – B
- Statement 1 is correct: Monazite is a primarily reddish-brown phosphate mineral that contains rare-earth elements. Due to variability in composition, monazite is considered a group of minerals. Monazite usually occurs in small, isolated crystals or grains that are resistant to weathering and become concentrated in soils.
- Statement 2 is correct: In addition to the rare earth elements, thorium (Th) can be extracted from monazite ore. Thorium is a slightly radioactive metal, identical to uranium. Monazite is a major source of rare earths and thorium.It yields a number of rare-earth elements, such as neodymium and praseodymium. Both of these are in demand internationally for making high performance rare-earth magnets (components of power wind turbines, electric vehicles and robotics)
- Statement 3 is not correct: The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a constituted unit of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has estimated the presence of 11.93 million tonnes of monazite resources in the beach sand mineral placer deposits along the coastal tracts of India. Though monazite is found in most coastal areas of India. It is questionable to be found along the entire coast.The main mines are found along the coasts of southern India in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and in Orissa.
- Statement 4 is correct: Monazite is a mineral mainly containing rare earths and thorium prescribed substance to be handled by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). Accordingly, Indian Rare Earths Ltd. (IREL) wholly owned by the Govt. of India, under the administrative control of the Dept. of Atomic Energy (DAE) utilizes monazite mainly for the production of rare earth compounds, and thorium, as needed in the Department of Atomic Energy
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